Wireless communication method and apparatus for reporting traffic volume measurement information to support uplink data transmissions

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for uplink transmission is disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) transmits a message to a Node-B, wherein the message is selected from at least a first type, a second type, and a third type. The first type of message indicates that the WTRU has uplink buffered data to transmit and the WTRU requires uplink resources for transmission of uplink data. The second type of message includes a plurality of indications, wherein each indication indicates an amount of uplink buffered data associated with at least one logical channel, wherein each logical channel is associated with a priority. The third type of message indicates an amount of uplink buffered data and has less information than the second type of message.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/619,346,filed on Nov. 16, 2009, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.10/953,375, filed on Sep. 29, 2004 which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,040,834 on Oct. 18, 2011; which claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/557,974, filed Mar. 31, 2004, all of which areincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is related to a wireless communication systemincluding a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a Node-B. Moreparticularly, the present invention is related to reporting enhanceduplink (EU) traffic volume measurement (TVM) information to support EUdata transmissions between the WTRU and the Node-B over a signalingchannel having a limited capacity.

BACKGROUND

Methods for enhancing uplink (UL) coverage, throughput and transmissionlatency in a wireless communication system, such as a frequency divisionduplex (FDD) system, are currently being investigated in release 6 (R6)of the third generation partnership project (3GPP). Instead ofscheduling and assigning uplink physical channels in a radio networkcontroller (RNC), a Node-B (i.e., base station) controller is used suchthat more efficient decisions can be made and uplink radio resources canbe managed on a short-term basis better than the RNC, even if the RNCretains overall control of the system. A similar approach has alreadybeen adopted in the downlink for release 5 (R5) of high speed datapacket access (HSDPA) in a universal mobile telecommunications system(UMTS) for both an FDD mode and a time division duplex (TDD) mode.

In order for the Node-B to make efficient allocation decisions andprioritize between different priority flows, the Node-B must keep trackof TVMs along with the associated priority. However, conventional ULsignaling methods have limited capacity, and thus may not be able toaccommodate the reporting of TVMs along with their associatedpriorities.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a wireless communication method and apparatusfor reporting EU TVM information to support EU data transmissionsbetween a WTRU, (i.e., a mobile station), and a Node-B. The apparatusmay be a wireless communication system, a WTRU and/or an integratedcircuit (IC). EU data is generated and stored in a buffer of the WTRU.The WTRU transmits an initial TVM information request message to theNode-B indicating that the WTRU has EU data to transfer to the Node-B.In response to receiving the initial TVM information request message,the Node-B schedules one or more allowed EU data transmissions betweenthe WTRU and the Node-B by transmitting an EU data scheduling message tothe WTRU.

The WTRU transfers all of the EU data stored in the buffer to the Node-Bif the allowed EU data transmissions are sufficient to supporttransmission of all of the EU data stored in the buffer. Otherwise, theWTRU may transmit detailed TVM information multiplexed with at least aportion of the EU data to the Node-B.

The TVM information may indicate the quantity of the stored EU data. Thedetailed TVM information may indicate a quantity of buffered EU dataassociated with each of a plurality of traffic priority classes. Thedetailed TVM information may be multiplexed at a layer 2 medium accesscontrol (MAC) entity, or at a layer 3 radio resource control (RRC) orother equivalent layer 3 signaling entity.

The procedure used to transfer EU data stored in the buffer of the WTRUmay be dependent upon whether or not the quantity of the EU data exceedsan established threshold. The initial TVM information request messagemay be transmitted to the Node-B only after the quantity of the storedEU data exceeds the established threshold. When the establishedthreshold is not exceeded, the WTRU may transfer all of the EU data fromthe buffer of the WTRU to the Node-B without requiring schedulinginformation from the Node-B. If the established threshold is set tozero, the WTRU may transfer the stored EU data from the buffer of theWTRU to the Node-B only after receiving scheduling information from theNode-B.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

A more detailed understanding of the invention may be had from thefollowing description of a preferred example, given by way of exampleand to be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system operating in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a signal flow diagram for the system of FIG. 1 when more thanone EU transmission is necessary to transmit all of the EU data bufferedin the WTRU;

FIG. 3 is a signal flow diagram for the system of FIG. 1 when only oneEU transmission is necessary to transmit all of the EU data buffered inthe WTRU; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process including method steps forimplementing the reporting of TVMs in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Hereafter, the terminology “WTRU” includes but is not limited to a userequipment (UE), mobile station, fixed or mobile subscriber unit, pager,or any other type of device capable of operating in a wirelessenvironment.

When referred to hereafter, the terminology “Node-B” includes but is notlimited to a base station, site controller, access point or any othertype of interfacing device in a wireless environment.

The present invention may be further applicable to TDD, FDD, and timedivision synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA), asapplied to UMTS, CDMA 2000 and CDMA in general, but is envisaged to beapplicable to other wireless systems as well.

The features of the present invention may be incorporated into an IC orbe configured in a circuit comprising a multitude of interconnectingcomponents.

FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system 100 operating in accordancewith the present invention. The system 100 includes a WTRU 105 and aNode-B 110 which communicate with each other via wireless signals 115.The WTRU 105 includes at least one buffer 120.

FIG. 2 is a signal flow diagram for the wireless communication system100 when the EU data transmissions allowed by a first EU data schedulingmessage are not sufficient to transmit all of the EU data stored in thebuffer 120 of the WTRU 105. EU data 205 is generated at the WTRU 105 andis stored in the buffer 120 of the WTRU 105. When the quantity of the EUdata in the buffer 120 exceeds an established EU data buffer threshold,the WTRU 105 sends an initial TVM information request message 210 to theNode-B 110 via an EU signaling channel. Due to the limited payloadcapacity of the EU signaling channel, detailed TVM information may notbe included with the initial TVM information request message 210. Theinitial TVM information request message 210 may just indicate that theWTRU 105 has EU data ready to send, and/or may serve as a rate requestto the Node-B 110 by including an approximation of the amount of EUdata.

Referring still to FIG. 2, upon receiving the initial TVM informationrequest message 210, the Node-B 110 schedules one or more EUtransmissions between the WTRU 105 and the Node-B 110 via a first EUdata scheduling message 215. In response to receiving the first EU datascheduling message 215, the WTRU 105 sends one or more EU datatransmissions 220 to the Node-B 110 allowed by the first EU datascheduling message 215. If the EU data transmissions scheduled by theNode-B 110 are not sufficient to transmit all of the EU data buffered inthe WTRU 105, the WTRU 105 sends EU data transmissions 220 includingdetailed TVM information that indicates the approximate amount of databuffered in the WTRU 105. Optionally, the detailed TVM information mayindicate an amount of buffered data associated with each associatedtraffic priority class or logical channel mapped to the EU dedicatedchannel (EU-DCH). The detailed TVM information may be multiplexed atlayer 2 or layer 3 with the EU data. At layer 2, the detailed TVMinformation may be identified in the EU-DCH MAC header, and at layer 3the detailed TVM information may be signaled within a radio resourcecontrol (RRC) or other equivalent L3 signaling entity. The EU datatransmissions 220 may include several independent physicaltransmissions.

Node-B 110 can utilize the comprehensive knowledge of the TVMinformation and potentially associated priorities and/or logicalchannels reported via the EU data transmissions 220 in subsequent uplinkscheduling. When the WTRU 105 obtains additional EU data later on, theWTRU 105 may choose to report updated TVM information to the Node-B 110.The Node-B 110 then schedules subsequent EU data transmissions from theWTRU 105 to the Node-B 110 via subsequent EU data scheduling messages225 a-225 n.

FIG. 3 is a signal flow diagram for the wireless communication system100 when one or more EU data transmissions allowed by an EU datascheduling message are sufficient to transmit all of the EU data storedin the buffer 120 in the WTRU 105. EU data 305 is generated at the WTRU105 and is stored in the buffer 120 of the WTRU 105. When the quantityof the EU data in the buffer 120 exceeds an established EU data bufferthreshold, the WTRU 105 sends an initial TVM information request message310 to the Node-B 110 via an EU signaling channel.

EU data transmissions sent by the WTRU 105 are not required to bescheduled by the Node-B 110 when the established EU data bufferthreshold is not exceeded.

Still referring to FIG. 3, upon receiving the initial TVM informationrequest message 310, the Node-B schedules one or more EU datatransmissions between the WTRU 105 and the Node-B via an EU datascheduling message 315. In response to receiving the EU data schedulingmessage 315, the WTRU 105 sends one or more EU data transmissions 320allowed by the EU data scheduling message 315. If the EU transmissionsallowed by the EU data scheduling message 315 are sufficient to transmitall of the EU data buffered in the WTRU 105, all of the EU data storedin the buffer 120 of the WTRU 105 is sent to the Node-B. No additionalTVM reporting is necessary since the WTRU 105 is aware that there is noadditional EU data to transmit to the Node-B 110.

Data associated with priority class or logical channels/MAC-d flowsassociated with TVMs may be stored in the Node-B 110 to make moreprecise channel allocations and more efficient use of radio resources.The Node-B 110 utilizes the TVMs and associated priorities to establishsubsequent EU data scheduling with greater accuracy due to theadditional TVM detail provided by the WTRU 105.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process 400 including method steps fortransferring user data from the WTRU 105 to the Node-B 110 in accordancewith the present invention. In step 405, EU data is generated and storedin the buffer 120 of the WTRU 105. In optional step 410, a determinationis made as to whether or not the quantity of EU data stored in thebuffer 120 of the WTRU 105 exceeds an established EU data bufferthreshold. When the quantity of the stored EU data in the buffer 120 ofthe WTRU 105 does not exceed the established threshold, EU transmissionsare allowed without Node-B scheduling, and all of the stored EU data istransmitted to the Node-B 110 (step 430). If the quantity of the storedEU data exceeds the established threshold, the WTRU 105 sends an initialTVM information request message to the Node-B 110 indicating that theWTRU 105 has EU data to send to the Node-B 110 (step 415).

It should be noted that the established EU data buffer threshold may beset to zero. In this case, the storage of any amount of EU data in thebuffer 120 of the WTRU 105 will always trigger the transmission of aninitial TVM information request message 210.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in step 420, the Node-B 110 sends an EU datascheduling message, including information on one or more allowed EU datatransmissions, to the WTRU 105 to schedule transmission of the EU databuffered in the WTRU 105 to the Node-B 110. In step 425, the WTRU 105determines if the allowed EU data transmissions are sufficient totransmit all of the buffered EU data. If the EU data transmissionsallowed by the current scheduling information are sufficient to supporttransmission of all of the EU data stored in the buffer 120, all of theEU data buffered in the WTRU 105 is transmitted to the Node-B 110 in theallowed EU data transmissions (step 430).

If the EU data transmissions allowed by the current schedulinginformation are not sufficient to transmit all of the EU data bufferedin the WTRU 105, the WTRU 105 transmits one or more EU datatransmissions including detailed TVM information multiplexed with aportion of the stored EU data to the Node-B 110 (step 435). In step 440,the Node-B 110 schedules and transmits one or more additional EU datatransmissions until there is no more EU data buffered in the WTRU 105.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the scope of the invention describedhereinabove.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for use by a wireless transmit/receiveunit (WTRU) for uplink transmission, the method comprising: the WTRUtransmitting a message to a Node-B, wherein the message is selected fromat least a first type, a second type, and a third type; wherein thefirst type of message indicates that the WTRU has uplink buffered datato transmit and the WTRU requires uplink resources for transmission ofuplink data; wherein the second type of message includes a plurality ofindications, wherein each indication indicates an amount of uplinkbuffered data associated with at least one logical channel, wherein eachlogical channel is associated with a priority; and wherein the thirdtype of message indicates an amount of uplink buffered data and has lessinformation than the second type of message.
 2. The method of claim 1further comprising: the WTRU receiving, in response to the message,information that indicates a grant of an uplink data transmission; andthe WTRU transmitting uplink data over an uplink channel based on thereceived information.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the uplink datais transmitted over a plurality of physical channels.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising multiplexing the message with uplink data. 5.The method of claim 4 wherein the message is multiplexed with uplinkdata at a medium access control (MAC) layer.
 6. A wirelesstransmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising: circuitry configured totransmit a message to a Node-B, wherein the message is selected from atleast a first type, a second type, and a third type; wherein the firsttype of message indicates that the WTRU has uplink buffered data totransmit and the WTRU requires uplink resources for transmission ofuplink data; wherein the second type of message includes a plurality ofindications, wherein each indication indicates an amount of uplinkbuffered data associated with at least one logical channel, wherein eachlogical channel is associated with a priority; and wherein the thirdtype of message indicates an amount of uplink buffered data and has lessinformation than the second type of message.
 7. The WTRU of claim 6further comprising: circuitry configured to receive, in response to themessage, information that indicates a grant of an uplink datatransmission; and circuitry configured to transmit uplink data over anuplink channel based on the received information.
 8. The WTRU of claim 7wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the uplink data over aplurality of physical channels.
 9. The WTRU of claim 6 furthercomprising circuitry configured to multiplex the message with uplinkdata.
 10. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the circuitry is configured tomultiplex the message with uplink data at a medium access control (MAC)layer.